Did you pick the FTSE 100 winners in 2012?
28th Dec 2012 09:00
Let's be blunt, 2012 has been a real stinker in terms of the one thing markets crave most: certainty. Shocks have come from left, right and centre in 2012 as investors swung wildly between 'risk on' and 'risk off' modes. On top of that, trading on the London Stock Exchange was very light by histor
Read moreLondon close: FTSE 100 finishes strongly on 'fiscal cliff' optimism
18th Dec 2012 16:55
- US budget negotiations lift hopes - G4S up on renewed confidence - FTSE 250 at all-time high UK markets finished with strong gains on Tuesday afternoon as 'fiscal cliff' hopes spurred investors' appetites for riskier assets, such as mining stocks. The second-tier FTSE 250 index was trading at a
Read moreLondon midday: G4S leads markets higher
18th Dec 2012 11:27
- Stocks advance on 'fiscal cliff' hopes - Miners track metal prices higher - G4S up on renewed confidence A decent performance by G4S and the mining sector ensured that the FTSE 100 remained firmly in positive territory on Tuesday morning, with hopes over the US budget talks driving risk appetite.
Read moreLondon open: 'Fiscal cliff' hopes drive stocks early on
18th Dec 2012 08:30
The FTSE 100 opened strongly on Tuesday morning on the back of increasing optimism that US President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner will be able to strike a deal by the end of the year to avert the 'fiscal cliff'. Without a deal by the January 1st deadline, the $600bn in automatic spen
Read moreWhitbread profits from property sale and leaseback
18th Dec 2012 08:04
Whitbread has raised over 50m pounds from the sale and leaseback of seven Premier Inns and joint-site restaurants. NFU Mutual and Standard Life Assurance will pay Whitbread £51.04m in cash and enter into 25-year leases who will continue to operate the properties. This represents a net initial yiel
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Imagination, Ophir Energy, Whitbread
13th Dec 2012 07:09
Investors in Imagination Technologies are nervous. Not only is the company in the midst of a transition towards becoming a larger organization with a more diversified product portfolio, a difficult task in and of itself, it is also trading at near 30 times its profit. The latter means that there is
Read moreLondon close: Stocks rise as investors await the FOMC
12th Dec 2012 16:59
UK stocks finished Wednesday's session with decent gains, extending its recent winning streak into its sixth day, with investors widely expecting the US Federal Reserve to reveal more stimulus measures in the coming hours. The Footsie closed at its highest level since March 19th when it finished th
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Resources lifted by rising metal prices
12th Dec 2012 14:55
Resource stocks were leading the way on the FTSE by the afternoon on Wednesday, boosted by rising metal prices and hopes that US law-makers can come to an arrangement over the impending 'fiscal cliff'. Optimism was sparked at the weekend following President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boeh
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks pull into the blue
12th Dec 2012 11:33
The FTSE 100 had pulled into positive territory by Wednesday lunchtime, extending its recent winning streak into its sixth day, but the mood was cautious ahead of the conclusion of the Federal Reserve policy meeting later today. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is widely expected to
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
12th Dec 2012 07:25
AMEC: Credit Suisse reduces target price from 1300p to 1250p reiterating an outperform rating. Anglo American: Barclays upgrades to equal-weight with a target price of 1970p. Ashtead Group: Barclays raises target price from 352p to 434p and reiterates an overweight rating. ASOS: HSBC raises targe
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Asos, Whitbread, Carpetright
12th Dec 2012 05:47
On Tuesday Nick Robertson, Asos's ebullient chief executive, revealed that UK growth was accelerating again after a wave of price cuts. The company reported a 24% increase in domestic sales, a rate of growth that compares with a 4% at its lowest point last year. That allayed concerns that it might b
Read moreLondon close: 'Fiscal cliff' hopes lift markets
11th Dec 2012 16:56
- Fiscal cliff optimism increases ahead of FOMC - German ZEW smashes expectations - Tullow drops 8.4 per cent After a weak start, the FTSE 100 finished Tuesday's session with slight gains on the back of increasing optimism about the 'fiscal cliff', as well as a better-than-expected reading of Germa
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Tullow drops after Ghanaian well update
11th Dec 2012 14:24
Oil giant Tullow tanked on Tuesday after revealing that its Okure-1 exploration well offshore Ghana had encountered 'low net to gross oil bearing reservoir in a secondary objective'. The markets seemed to shrug off its other announcement that it plans to buy Norwegian exploration group Spring Ener
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie at nine-month high after German ZEW data
11th Dec 2012 11:51
- German ZEW surges in December - Whitbread impresses with Q3, Tullow drops - Footsie at highest since March After a subdued start, a much better-than-expected reading of German sentiment boosted buying this morning, sending the FTSE 100 to a nine-month high by Tuesday lunchtime. The Footsie is no
Read moreBroker tips: BHP Billiton, Tullow, Whitbread
11th Dec 2012 11:12
Nomura has labelled BHP Billiton as its preferred name in the global metals and mining industry, reiterating its 'buy' recommendation and 2,350p target price for the shares. "We believe it is time for a change of mindset in terms of how many in the market view the sector. Although we think trading
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